The hype started early – Arch Manning received a scholarship offer at birth from a former CFB head coach
One of the top Power 4 coaches in recent history wasted no time when offering the now starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.
Texas Longhorns' starting quarterback is easily the most-hyped college football recruit of all-time. Now, he is the most hyped first-year starter of all-time. But, the hype started long ago. At least it did for one former Power 4 head coach.
Former Ole Miss and Duke head coach, David Cutcliffe, spoke with Horns247 Monday about the pressure Manning faces as the new guy under center for Texas in 2025. He also was candid about how early he recruited Arch Manning.
"I sent Arch scholarship papers the day he was born," Cutcliffe said. "I was the head coach at Ole Miss when he was born, so I had a courier take the scholarship papers to his father, Cooper, at the hospital."
Arch's father, Cooper, confirmed the all gas no brakes recruiting pitch from Cutcliffe.
"He sure did," Cooper Manning said. "David has been a great friend to me. I have so much respect for him as a coach, as a teacher and as a man."
David Cutcliffe knows pressure. He coached Arch Manning's uncles in the SEC.
Peyton Manning was the quarterback at Tennessee when Cutcliffe was the offensive coordinator. And Eli was under center at Ole Miss when Cutcliffe was the head coach of the Rebels' program in the early 2000's.
"First, you're at the University of Texas. Secondly, your name is Manning. Thirdly, everybody has a phone in their hand and sees a name, and when your own name keeps popping up, I don't know how he even wants to walk around with a phone," Cutcliffe said. "I don't know of any young quarterback that's ever had more pressure on him."
A lot has been made about the insane expectations for Arch Manning in 2025. David Cutcliffe didn't mince words when asked about what is 'reasonable'.
"I don't know if there's anything close to reasonable about it, because it became unreasonable as soon as he became a public figure in about the eighth grade," Cutcliffe said. "Arch has lived with a father who is extremely successful in business and extremely well prepared, and a mom who's a lawyer who's extremely successful. So all the right markers are there, because I don't know of any young quarterback that's ever had more pressure on him."
Cutcliffe has spent time in Austin and thinks the next quarterback in the family is set for a big-time fall.
"I had the good fortune to go watch [Arch] practice in the spring, and he makes every practice like a game," Cutcliffe said. "He goes on to the practice field with total focus, great habits. His work ethic is outstanding."
Arch Manning will have all eyes on him in 2025. And his uncles former coach and mentor has given him plenty of advice prior to the opener against Ohio State.
"I can tell you what I told him as he moved into this role of being the starting quarterback," Cutcliffe said. "I said, Arch, there's two things I want you to grasp and hold onto through this journey.
"First, the most focus you should have is on being the best teammate you can possibly be. That's what any of us will be remembered for in the long term. 'Hey, man, you were the best teammate I ever had.' Wow, what a compliment. And I think he's done that.
"The second one is that we don't work football, we play football. We play football. Make sure that you continue to have fun," Cutcliffe said. "Don't get caught up in all of the issues around the work involved. So, I think he's done that.
